Bridging the Distance Together:

Virtual and Offline English Language Instruction in the

Philippines
Digital Learning and Teaching Session
Objectives
• Preparing teachers for digital instruction
• Creating digital classrooms that mirror effective F2F classrooms
• Setting up school-wide systems for digital delivery
• Moving from creating systems to instruction: Resources for each step
At the end of the session, participants are
expected to

1.Build confidence in using digital flat form in delivery

of the lesson
2.Encourage to further enhance themselves with digital
skills
3.Develop an action plan for Digital Learning
 Bridging the Distance Together:
Virtual and Offline English Language Instruction in the Philippines
 The UNESCO states
“Teachers leading in
crisis, reimagining the
future”.
 I need your Responses:

• How do you as teachers feel about this

charge?
• What emotional responses do you have when
you think about taking your instruction
online?
• How do you think your students and their
families feel?
Digital Learning and Teaching
Disequilibrium: Two Sides of a Coin
Disequilibrium: The Engine for Learning
 Confidence
Have

in Your Ability
to teach effectively no
matter how and where.

And most importantly,

Believe that, Students that they can Learn

Where Do I start with Digital Instruction?

Start by reminding yourself of two skills that you already have:

• Good teaching is good teaching – no matter

the delivery mode

• Digital classroom shall mirror effective

F2F classrooms
Looking Forward: Organizational System

You are not alone.

Utilize research-based resources,
checklists, and already completed steps
that will get you a headstart!
Your Resource Guide includes all
materials
 Choosing Resources That Help You to Build
Sustainable Systems For All, in Your Context
Resources To Avoid:
● Since COVID, too many non-vetted resources are shared with
educators
● Commercial system costing money
● Resources recommended by one person
● Flashy “one-size-fits-all” resources

Resources To Look for:

● Research-based
● They existed before COVID
● Internationally respected
● PK12-specific
 Examples of Vetted Resources
Quality Criteria
● Research-based
● They existed before COVID
● Internationally respected
● PK12-specific

Purpose
● International Technology Standards for teachers, administrators, coaches, and
students: What should each group be able to do:
● How can we plan lessons, teach hem, and assess students of a world of diverse
learner needs and abilities: UDL
● How do I plan a class and how do I know that it is quality:
 Creating PK12 Digital Classrooms
and
International Research-Based Standards for Digital Teaching
and Learning Incl. Accessibility
 International Research-Based Standards
for Teachers, Administrators, Coaches, and Students
Meeting Diverse Learner Needs
 Setting up Systems: Essential Questions
Questions to Ponder:
1. Do you have a committee or individuals who can guide the process?
2. What hardware is needed to deliver and receive digital instruction?
a) Computer or other digital devices
b) Peripherals (camera, scanners, mics, etc.)
3. Does every educator and family have it?
4. Does everyone have access to platforms and apps? Is there help for families to learn
how to use them?
5. What Internet capacity does the school and do families have? Can the system manage
multiple users at the same time?\
6. Is there tech support?
7. Is there a published Plan B if there are tech problems?
8. Did you create policies for digital instruction, for example, an Acceptable Use Policy?
9. Privacy Protection: The Law
10. Did you establish CoPs to share what works and what does not work?
 Setting up Systems:
Planning and Implementation Committee

Essential Qualifications
● Representing all stakeholders
● Members with digital technology background and skills
● Members with essential knowledge of school policies and
procedures
● Members will knowledge of legal issues
● Members with budget/financial knowledge
● Members knowledgeable of academic calendar
Setting up Systems: Hardware and
Peripherals

Questions to Ponder:
• What are non-negotiable essential minimal
needs?
• Computing 1:1
• What peripherals are needed to deliver
instruction and assessments?
• What training must be provided to
educators to use the system?
 Setting up
Systems:
Access to
Technology by
Teachers and
Families
Ponder:
Hardware, Software, & Internet
Access
 Setting up Systems:
Knowledge How to Use
Them
Questions to Ponder:
• Knowledge to download, access, and
use access to platforms and apps
• Distribution of passwords
• Awareness of safety of passwords and
networks
• Help for families and learners to learn
how to use them
Setting up Systems:
Bandwidth and Internet
Availability and Strength

Questions to Ponder:
• What Internet capacity does the school
and do families have?
• Can the system manage multiple users at
the same time?
• Should use be staggered?
• What happens with capacity during video
meetings and when data-rich files are
transferred?
• Security
Setting up Systems: Tech Support
Questions to Ponder:
• Tech support for school-based
technology and issues
• Tech support for outside
platforms (list of how to reach
them and when)
• Days and hours of tech support
• How to reach them
• How to help teachers when
something goes wrong during
their lessons
Setting up Systems: Plan B
Questions to Ponder:
• Make a list of what COULD go wrong
• Be ready to throw away your list of possible scenarios because we cannot predict
issues
• But: We can plan how you would fix certain issues, who will be responsible for it,
and when they should do it
• Caution: Most problems occur at night, during weekends, or when troubleshooters
have made plans
• Communication is the key for troubleshooting: designated phone and email that
must be monitored at all times
• Essential personnel must be in the loop incl. administrators. Make a list of who
they are. And-- they need to be reachable at odd times
• And -- what do you do if systems are down? Have a plan to replace or make up for
each system and that the alternative can immediately deploy
• Make sure all stakeholders know what to do when things go wrong
Setting up Systems:
Policies for the Use of Digital Devices, Networks, and all
Associated Parts

Questions to Ponder:
• Do you have an Acceptable Use Policy regulating what all stakeholders should and should
not do with technology?
• Are your policies in sync with Government regulations and laws?
• What are consequences for violations?
• Who monitors activities and can bring issues to the attention of the appropriate
administrator?
• How do you protect your organization, yourself, kids, and families?
Setting up Systems:
Teacher CoPs to Share What Works and What Does Not Work

Questions to Ponder:
• Do you have opportunities, time, and a system for teachers to share?
• Could teachers do sharing asynchronously in the cloud?
• How should teacher groups be formed? Grade level, discipline, those who
want to be a group….
• How are teachers rewarded for their participation? Badges for their email,
certificates, awards…How do you preserve the groups’ outcomes and
recommendations? Create a resource bank with excellent organization so
that future teachers and admins can easily find answers
Moving from Creating Systems to Instructing
Kids

Issues to Consider to Guide Your Planning and Evaluating:

• Research-based principles for the digital classroom: course design

• Defining digital classroom rules and classroom management strategies thus, creating
safe digital workspaces for learners
• Defining and using a pedagogy of digital teaching and learning
• Implement a digital delivery design that features developmentally appropriate activities
and addresses the needs of diverse learners
• Set up digital activities that connect to learners’ background knowledge
• Promote learner engagement and motivation in their digital classrooms
• Developing confidence in your ability to teach effectively in online environment and
exhibit confidence in students that they can learn in the online classroom
• Use already developed resources in all subject areas and OER materials
Group Work:

Please develop an action plan addressing two of the following four

discussion prompts:
● List systemic preparations that should be in place before
instructions can be moved online. Define your role in this
preparation
● Create a plan to ensure the implementation of the quality of
online instruction. Define how you will monitor the process
● Set up collaboration opportunities and channels with others to
learn from each other’s mistakes and what works well for al.